Bougainville balks at peace

(First Edition)

SYDNEY - Papua New Guinea's efforts to resolve the six-year secessionist war on Bougainville faltered when rebel leaders failed to turn up to the opening of a two-day peace conference on the island with the Prime Minister, Sir Julius Chan.

A South Pacific peace-keeping force involving 400 troops from Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu, with support from Australia and New Zealand, has also been deployed on Bougainville since Sunday, to ensure neutrality during the talks. Reuter